This has got to be the best fantasy novel that has come out in decades, as strange as it is that the author has been deceased for decades. It is rife with fantastic originality, thoroughly developed plot-lines, foreshadowing of myth, and intricate symbolism, all of which are often lacking in today's fantasy. the depth of character developement in such a short work is astounding, and the tragedy woven within is Shakespearean in complexity. Here we see a totally new side of Tolkien, much different than in all the works of the masterstoryteller that we've seen so far.
Though the comments of previous reviewers who have said that The Children of Hurin is somewhere in style between The Silmarillian and The Lord of the Rings are hitting close to the mark, I think a better comparison can be made. To me the book is closer in style to The Retrun of the King specifically; though it takes on a somewhat archaic feel like that of the later chapters of The Lord of the Rings, it is still brimming with rich dialogue, description, and character developement, all of which are lacking in The Silmarillion. Also, Tolkien gets dark in this book, and we really haven't seen that side of him until now. I used to wonder where the petty crime and neutral evil were in Middle Earth- and now I know. They just weren't important to the tale of the Ring. They are of great importance in The Children of Hurin, and here Tolkien takes on an almost Robert E. Howard feel, though admittedly via a much more scholarly writing style.
I had read the tale before in The Silmarillion, and remember thinking that it had a strong plot nearly as strong as LOTR itself, and wishing that Tolkien had lived long enough to see it done. Though it's been many years since then, and I had completely forgotten the details and names of the story, I was able to jump right into this book without consulting any Tolkien lore, due in part to the excellent introduction by Christopher.
I hope that Christopher can find it in himself to do the same with the tale of Beren. Even if he does have to employ some "invention," it would be well worth it, at least to this fan, and after seeing the great work he's done on this book I actually trust him with it!
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